Table 2—

Factors associated with total plasma carotenoids at baseline

	Plasma carotenoid quartiles				P trend
	Quartile 1 (<1.82 μmol/l)	Quartile 2 (1.82–2.55 μmol/l)	Quartile 3 (2.55–3.43 μmol/l)	Quartile 4 (≥3.43 μmol/l)
Sociodemographic factors
Women	40.1	52.5	65.8	83.2	<10−4
Age at baseline (years)	64.7 ± 2.9	65.3 ± 2.8	65.0 ± 3.1	64.8 ± 3.0	0.06
Higher education	43.0	49.3	50.8	49.4	0.28
Consumption factors
Current/former smokers	56.2	48.2	37.9	22.5	<10−4
Alcohol consumer (>20 ml/day)	41.2	33.2	24.7	14.1	<10−4
Health factors
BMI (kg/ m2)	26.5 ± 3.7	25.4 ± 3.4	24.6 ± 3.3	23.6 ± 3.0	<10−4
HDL cholesterol (mmol/l)	1.55 ± 0.41	1.56 ± 0.35	1.71 ± 0.42	1.82 ± 0.46	<10−4
Total cholesterol (mmol/l)	5.98 ± 0.99	6.23 ± 0.91	6.47 ± 0.91	6.86 ± 1.01	<10−4
Total-to-HDL cholesterol ratio	4.10 ± 1.13	4.22 ± 1.37	4.01 ± 1.09	4.00 ± 1.17	0.09
Lipid-lowering drugs user	32.5	26.9	20.4	15.9	<10−4
Diastolic blood pressure (mmHg)	81.2 ± 11.8	79.8 ± 11.0	77.9 ± 10.8	76.9 ± 9.7	<10−4
Systolic blood pressure (mmHg)	133.4 ± 18.1	134.2 ± 18.0	130.0 ± 18.0	126.2 ± 15.1	<10−4
Cardiovascular disease antecedents	13.2	11.7	4.70	6.3	0.0004

Data are means ± SD or percent.